(CNN) - House Republican Leader John Boehner is known for regularly poking fun at reporters about their hairstyles. But at his weekly press conference on Thursday he couldn't contain himself.

As he launched into his regular refrain about the Democrats' budget, saying it "spends too much, it taxes too much, and it borrows too much", he stopped himself - trying to hold back laughter during his own opening comments.

He quickly singled out a young print reporter, telling him, "You really do need to do something with that hair of yours." As reporters laughed, he joked, "I couldn't wait any longer."

He went on to finish his opening comments, but before calling on the same reporter, he teased, "Get a brush, would ya?"

The reporter had good sense of humor about the crack from the Ohio Republican, and shot back, "I'll get a haircut if you pay for it."

When Boehner called on the next reporter, he referred to him as "the bald guy."

But Boehner didn't confine his critique to male members of the Capitol press corps. When a female reporter, wearing her long hair pulled back, prefaced her question by joking that she hoped her hair was ok, Boehner couldn't resist: "You mean what's wadded up in the back of your head?"

Some reporters chuckled, but others thought the GOP leader was being a little harsh.

Boehner continued his hair assessment, saying, "It looks so nice hanging down. It looks like you got up a little late and decided that, you know, I just wadded up the back. For those of you that don't know about me and ponytails, males get it - males get it just as bad as females."

He then apologized to the reporter, joking "you started it," and let her ask her question on the budget.

With Congress about to start a two week recess, Boehner blamed the long stretch of six straight weeks in Washington for his punchy mood and attempt to have some fun with reporters. "That's why I'm trying to be humorous today to my friend who needs a brush and a friend who needs some hair," Boehner said.

As reporters walked out of the press conference, one asked Boehner's press secretary what she put in the Republican leader's coffee this morning.